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Steve K-B

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Posts posted by Steve K-B

  4. Posted · Report reply

    Not to bad but...:

    Not knowing the drain plumbing was busted, I spewed up in the kitchen sink after a night out. Washed it down the sink hole but couldnt find out why i waw getting wet feet. Woke up the next morning to my dad cleaning up "food scraps" from under the sink. He couldnt figger were they had came from....

  10. Posted · Edited by Steve K-B · Report reply

    I have recently set up my own Project Consultancy (specialising in consulting to holders of large portfolios of assets - predominantly property assets), and have straight away had 4 good long term contracts in place, that see me not having the worry of having to "hunt out the next job".

    However, it is my aim that by August to only work 4 days a week, in order to spend as much time as possible with the young fella, and allow Brook to go back to work part time (without having to put Ash into daycare).

    However, as I have so much work on, I can't really see me being able to cut back to only 4 days a week, but at least the mortgage is getting paid, and being your own boss can't be beaten.

    Cheers

    Grant

    Sounds bloody good! Well done on the four days a week idea, Awesome!

    As for me I like to think of my self as an apprentice Jedi.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    Ive never run the car hard in any thing longer than a hill climb and ive got a few rallys coming up so im trying to keep a better eye on things. Id really dislike to be put out of an event from mechanical failer.

    What has failed in your charging system? Measuring the current draw on a working auto system would be reasonably meaningless. At no load if it is drawing current, that is helpful. An alternator that produces voltage you would also reasonably assume was delivering current.

    Getting a bigger scale ammeter is beyond me too. What are you trying to prove? If your battery is flat. Take it out if the car, get a DECENT charger and leave it on for 48 hours on Float charge. Then fit it to your car. This will remove the massive loads on the alternator.

    The 2 most useful things I have learnt in Electrotechnology.

    Current always flows in a loop.

    Voltage never exists on its own

    Ive had the alternator possitive wire break of and screw my regulator as well as an altinator failing all together. Im not worried if the electrical system is working fine (as it should and does at the moment) its when somthing stops working that I want to know about it so I could do somthing about it before a total charging loss, and I was hoping an ammeter would be a good indercator.

    Im hoping to keep an eye on the current draw to and from the battery as this would indcate a problem with the ACC draw or charging output and as the way the car is wired, I would have to put the gauge inline with the starter cable for this to work, this is why I would need a larger ammeter but as 3pedals has pointed out this is pretty much not an option. I do charge the battery before I use it and as often as I can remember to when its not being used. Altho It has gone flat over time when I do forget! :wacko:

    I like "Voltage never exists on its own" and as you said an alternator producing voltage would be producing current, maybe I dont need an ammeter at all?? Just keep a better eye on the voltmeter?

    Don't include the starter motor in the circuit as it is a temporary use item and it suck huge currents 200 amps plus and if you stall it (like have it in gear and try to start it) you can be looking at 600 amps plus.

    A charge / discharge ammeter will tell you all you need to know.

    Basically the only time you should be looking at a discharge is when you are running lights / sounds etc with the engine off

    All light, wipers and sounds in traffic should get close to "0" any other time should be charging - heaviest charge will be immediately after starting

    Also if you have a noticeable current discharge when the key is completely off, then you have a fault that needs finding.

    There are several problems that can contribute to low charge, put the ammeter in and tell us what you get and we will help you solve it if you still have a problem.

    Good point with the starter motor, I didnt think about the extra amps if cranked in gear etc. A charge/discharge gauge is what I have but as I said above I cant measure what I want anyway I look at the wiering on my car. I do plan on running night time lights that will draw large a current but how many I have no idea. Ive done one night hill climb and ill never do another one just running the standard lights! Scary......

    So now the question: Looking at what Cain and the rest have said, do I really need an ammeter if I have a voltmeter??

  13. Posted · Report reply

    Thanks for the input guys,

    If I was to get a new 100 or 120 amp ammeter and wire it in serries in the starter cable before the kill switch, that would give me the total possitive and negative current draw from the battery wouldnt it?

    I bought the gauge to keep an eye on the charging system as it has faild twice already, I have a volt meter in the car allready so that would be used to tell if the car wasnt charging at all. Should I just hook up the ammeter to the altinator possitive wire to keep an eye on charge amps? This would only tell me the performance of the altinator and may give a warning if it was on its way out I guess. Its alot easier to do it this way anyway, altho I would need a larger rated ammeter..... <_<

    Do you guys see any problems with this set up??

    Cheers

  14. Posted · Report reply

    I doubt if it would push more than 60 amps unless you current demands exceed 60 amps. If your battery is completely down it will go way over, and if you disconnect the battery while running it will do the same, go way over. The battery normally provides most of the current requirements and the alternator is really just there to keep the battery topped up. If you put it between the alternator and the battery it will show charge rate at any given time, between the battery and the car supply it will show current demand linked with supply, so may show + or - amps depending on demand at the time.

    Will

    Cheers Will,

    The car dosnt get used alot so the battery has been dead flat before as im sure it will happen again so thats why im worried about the gauge not being able to handel it. I under stand about it showing charge rate if its placed between the alternator and battery, But will it show in the negative? Im thinking the current draw for my accesories will by pass the gauge as I have all of my acceseries running of the starter cable from inside the engine bay or the switched side of the kill switch in the cabin. (the alternator wire joins the battery side of the kill switch and there are NO acceseries fun from that circut.

    I think this is my problem.......

  15. Posted · Report reply

    Thanks Bravo, your right about being in serries. I didnt think about it really but the alternator could well push out more than 60amps as the gauge only goes to 60 each way. Maybe I should have got a bigger one......

    If I do run it in serries with the alternator, will still measure negative amps from the battery? Ie not charging?

  16. Posted · Report reply

    Hey all, I know this isnt related to BMWs but I wasnt sure where to post it.

    Ive just got a cheep Ammeter gauge from repco for my corolla but cant understand the broken english on the instructions. Ive had a look on the net but cant find much to help me. Soooooo.......

    Where do I connect the wires?

    From what I understand one goes to the positive on the battery and the other goes to the alternator charging wire. I dont understand how this is sup post to work as the two wires connect together at the kill switch. Im a bit lost so any help would be awesome.

    Cheers

  17. Posted · Report reply

    f**k Back of the Ys an awesome show, there are (or were?) making a movie a year or so back but im not sure if it was ever finished. I saw spanners watsons drag car...... Sooooooo funny :lol:

    Im now a Big fan of Dejavoodoo!

    "Can't do what I wanna do" is frecken great drunken rowdy song.

  20. Posted · Report reply

    send us a pic of your engine and ill see if it will fit, im thinking its just the adaptor thats gonna be different, pre/fl e30s sixes r no hassle to put in, F/L change the expansion tank over to other side.

    post-1273-1172716582_thumb.jpg if this is same set up as yours no worries adaptor just diff size

    [email protected]

    I cant quite see from the photos, around the bottom does the box follow the guard closely? Ie does it have any big gaps at all? It looks bloody good from the photos but I thought I would just ask. I may be keen for a couple but would love to view one in person first. Is there any one in Auckland with one? If not im heading down to hamilton on the 24th of march for a rallyfest, May be we could meet up some time on friday before?? Thanks!!

    Ohh and what brand air filter are they?

    Steve

  21. Posted · Report reply

    Off topic here but I dont have time at the mo to find out what sam calls him self at the moment (spargo) so cant PM him etc.

    A message for Sam:

    Dad wants to get rid of the rear M3 seat (both squabs) and his exact words were: "What will he offer me?" Get back to me and ill pass it on to him. Also the front recaro seats are in average condition and im trying to convince him to rid of them, do you know of any one who would want them??

    Cheers.

  22. Posted · Report reply

    30mm sounds sweet, You shouldnt hit anything with in reason with that. Ive got 40mm drop on mine and have bottomd out once in two years.

    Im not to sure about the leather tho... :unsure: Its your car so if you like it go for it man.

  23. Posted · Report reply

    And thought you were falling in love with "salad girl"- the 6 ft blonde thing at Ruapuna!!!..........................

    Haha,

    Lets just say the salad girl wasnt interested :D

    Yeah Conrods M3 is a damn sweet car... would have been choice to see it race with the other group A M3s down south! - Maybe next year??

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